Improvement in brick-kilns



UNIT-En STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN Q. ZIEGLER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF f ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO HENRY` W. ADAMS, OF SAME PLACE.r

" `lmPRovi-:wlrl1- iN BRICK-Knus.

Specification forming part of Letters Patentv No. 155,630, dated October 6, 1874 application filed Y July 2o, 1874. Y

To all whom it may concern: l

Beit known that I, J oHN Q. A. ZIEGLE-R, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have inventedl a Brick-Kiln, of which the following is a specifcation:

My invention relates to a new and improved method of burning a kiln of bricks, in-an ordinarykiln, more uniformly hard than has hitherto been done.l

Heretofore the bricks burned in the kilns in general usehave been very unequally burned in consequence of the imperfect distribution of the heat, and its dierent intensity in different parts of the kiln. In the arches the bricks are burned `too much. Round the sides of the kiln, next to the walls, and from one to two feet of the top, they are not sufficiently burned.

To bring the aforesaid sides and top of the kiln to a higher intensity of heat, and render the bricks in those localities more uniformly hard, and also to protect the arches Afrom too great a degree of heat, is the prime object of my invention.

Three devices, which are believed to be novel and useful, are shown in the `drawings for the accomplishment of this object.

The rst is theuse of water in the ash-pits, to be vaporized by the deflected heat of the burning fuel and the superheated arches, which, vaporizin g into the arches, and becomin g superheated at the expense of the greatheat therein contained, cools the said arches, and becomes a carrier and distributer of heat throughout all the 'interstitial spaces of the superi'ncumbent bricks, by which a much better distribution of the heat is effected. Besides the bricks are very much improved in color by the use of the said aqueousvapor.

The second device, for burning the sides of the kiln hard, consists in setting at short distances apart, all round the outside of the kiln and next to the walls of the same on their inside, bricks compounded of coal-dust and clay, in the proportions of from ten to twenty per cent. of clay, more or less, and eighty to ninety per cent. of coal-dust, more or less. This makes such bricks an articial fuel, which becomes red hot, holds the heat a long time, and

`finally consumes to ashes, and creates a greatlocal heat next to the colder and absorbing zwalls, and raises the heat to so high an intenlsity as to burn the sides of the kiln hard.

The third device, for burning the top hard, consists inputting onto the top of the kiln an ad-` justable cover, to bank in the ascending and absconding heat, and make an oven on the said top, to accumulate and hold the` heat back, and raise the top courses of the bricks to a high settling hea l. An arch cannot be sustained on the top of an ordinary kiln, in consequence o f the great expansion and contraction of the same by the.

excessive heat. The tops are, therefore, left open to the air. The consequence is, the top courses of the bricks are but partially burned,

and, Abeing soft, are depreciated in value. From one to two feet in depth from the top of the kiln, more or less, the bricks are thus incompletely burned.

To remedy this defect in ,the uniform burning o f a common brick-kiln, it is necessary to set the kiln with burned bricks as much higher than the last course of unburned bricks as would equal the number of courses of -soft bricks otherwise burned on the top of the said kiln. This is thevrnle which governs the case. 'lhen the top course of green bricks will be sufficiently buried beneath a mass of highlyheated burned bricks or tiles to become hard. 1t makes but little difference whether this adjustable top is composed of ordinary burned bricks or burned tiles. The proper depth of the covering and the proper vent-holes are the chief things to be attended to.

I have shown in the drawings one mode of employing burned tiles to produce the proper covering for my new and improved kiln.

I do not confine myself` to the use of these tiles. They are simply convenient; and may be made of the common brick-clay, twelve inches long, seven inches wide, and six inches thick, more or less, when burned. They can be set and burned in the hottest places in the arches of the old kiln. They are then stacked up on the top of the Walls of the kiln ready for use. They are to be used overY and over again as long as they will last, which will be a long time with careful usage.

If burned brick instead of tiles are employed, every one understands how to use them in such cases, and no especialk explanation is necessary. They are to, be set breaking joints, like the rest of the kiln, and carried up to the necessary height, as aforesaid, to insure a proper depth of snperincu-mbent 4heat above the top of the unburned bricks. ,Y e

The following figures and letters further il lustrate my invention. Y v. s

Figure I is a perspectiveview of my new and improved brick-kiln with the side walls partially broken away, showing the adjustable top, the interspersed artificial brick fuel round the sides next to the walls, and the pans for water in the ash-pits. Fig. II isa ground plan of the bottom of the kiln, showing the grate-bars, ash-pits, and Water-pans. Fig. III is a vertical section of Fig. I cut through one of the arches, showing the interior arrangement of the said kkiln when set with bricks and prepared for burning.

The letter A represents -my new and improved kiln. B B B B B show the pans inthe ash-pits to contain the water to be va'porized by the deflected heat ofthe arches and the burning fuel on the grate-bars. C C C (J C are the grate-bars. D D D D D are the arches of the kiln when set for burning: E E E E E show how the said artificial fuel in the form of bricks, composed of coal-dust and clay, are set at small distances apart all round the outside of the kiln to be burned, and next to the inside of its inclosing-walls. F F F F F show the adjustable cover on the top'of the kiln, with cracks, or openings between the saidtiles for vent-holes, for the escape of the gases as cending from the fires. lt is better to have cast-iron pans in the ash-pits to contain the water to be vaporized. The hot ashes and coals which drop downv into thel said Water, and aid in vaporizing it, may be cleaned out with a hoe. Other substitutes may be made to keep a supply of water under the grates or in proximity to the said deected heat.

1t is not new to inject live steam generated in a boiler outside of a brick-kiln into the fireplaces of the same; but it is believed to be V new and much cheaper to put` the water into the ash-pits, and use the said deiiected heat -flatwise betweenk them. Small chambers for the accumulation of the ascending heat exist between these two layers of tiles. A third course may be laid on should the two not be suficient Y This artificial cover should be from twelve to eighteen Vinches, more or less, in

thickness, above the last course of green bricks tobe burned'.

' In case any brick-burner should prefer to make' this adjustable cover out of common burned bricks, he must build up this cover with a suiiicient number of courses of burned bricks to equal the number of courses which would otherwise be soft from the top of the kiln down to the rst course of hard bricks. This is the rule to be followed. These coverings may be put on when the kiln is set, or the water-smoke may first be expelled, and then the said adjustable covering may be put in its place. It settles with the kiln, and, when removed to open the kiln, it is packed upon the tops of the' walls or on a side platform, to be used over again.

An old-fashioned brick-kiln, now in common use, may be thus utilized to burn, with less expense for fuel, a harder, more uniform, and valuable charge of bricks.

Having thus explained my new and improved brick-kiln, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the evaporating-pansV y.

B B B B B, placed in the ashpits under the grate-bars C G O C C, with the said grate- Y 

